Rafael dos Anjos explains why he won’t ever fight for the BMF belt

By Cole Shelton - August 10, 2023

Rafael dos Anjos believes he is overqualified to win the BMF title.

Rafael dos Anjos, BMF belt

Dos Anjos is the former UFC lightweight champion and has fought the who’s who at light and welterweight. His resume features names like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, Eddie Alvarez, Tony Ferguson, Robbie Lawler, Colby Covington, Leon Edwards, and Kamaru Usman among others.

With that, many fans feel like ‘RDA’ is deserving of fighting for the BMF belt if he wants too. But, as the Brazilian is set to headline UFC Vegas 78 on Saturday against Vicente Luque, he believes that because he won the undisputed UFC lightweight title, he’s ineligible to fight for the BMF belt.

“I don’t think I make the requirements for that fight, to fight for the BMF. I’m a former champion, I held the undisputed belt. Guys that fight for the belt never held a championship before,” Rafael dos Anjos said at UFC Vegas 78.

Rafael dos Anjos plans to end his career at welterweight

Although Rafael dos Anjos thinks because he’s a former champ makes him ineligible to fight for the BMF belt, many fans would love to see him face Justin Gaethje.

However, as dos Anjos is set for another fight in the welterweight division on Saturday, he says he will likely end his career at 170lbs.

“For me to compete at lightweight, it’s pretty hard. I’ll be 39 in October, and I feel good at welterweight. I fought in this division before, I fought for the title in the division. I went to the distance with the champion. Yeah, I decided to make the move up and that’s the way I’m going to be fighting,” Rafael dos Anjos.

Rafael dos Anjos (32-14) is coming off a submission win over Bryan Barberena back in December. It was his return to the welterweight division three-fight at lightweight. In that span, he went 2-1 but lost his last fight by KO to Rafael Fiziev.


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